| 1996 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager |  Holger Osieck | ||
| Stadium | Urawa Komaba Stadium | ||
| J.League | 6th | ||
| Emperor's Cup | Semifinals | ||
| J.League Cup | GL-A 7th | ||
| Top goalscorer | League:  Masayuki Okano (11) All:  Masayuki Okano (15) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 
 | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 
 | ||
| Average home league attendance | 24,329 | ||
1996 Urawa Red Diamonds season
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | 
| 30 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 51 | 31 | +20 | 59 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 20 | +6 | 
Source: J.LEAGUE OFFICIAL GUIDE 1997. ISBN   4-09-102329-0.
| Competitions | Position | 
|---|---|
| J.League | 6th / 16 clubs | 
| Emperor's Cup | Semifinals | 
| J.League Cup | GL-A 7th / 8 clubs | 
| 16 March 19961 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2–1 | Kashiwa Reysol | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 15:03 JST (UTC+09) | Fukunaga  9', 65' | J. League | Watanabe  24' | Attendance: 20,124 Referee: Naotsugu Fuse Assistant referees: Kazuaki Hamaguchi, Hisaharu Kitamura Fourth official: Toshimitsu Yasumoto | 
| 20 March 19962 | Avispa Fukuoka | 1–2 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) | Urawa Red Diamonds | Hakatanomori Football Stadium | 
| 14:00 JST (UTC+09) | Furube  54' | J. League | Hirose  57'  113' | Attendance: 17,323 Referee: Kenji Tanaka Assistant referees: Yoshikazu Hiroshima, Tōru Yamashiro Fourth official: Daikichi Kanada | 
| 23 March 19963 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2–0 | Yokohama Marinos | Tokyo National Stadium | 
| 19:03 JST (UTC+09) | Fukunaga  56' Bein  58' | J. League | Attendance: 49,094 Referee: Keiichi Sunakawa Assistant referees: Hiroshi Fukuda, Ichirō Inukai Fourth official: Noritake Sakurada | 
| 30 March 19964 | Júbilo Iwata | 1–1 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) (3–4 p) | Urawa Red Diamonds | Júbilo Iwata Stadium | 
| 14:02 JST (UTC+09) | Dunga  11' | J. League | Bein  27' | Attendance: 12,730 Referee: Yasuhiro Matsuzaki Assistant referees: Naoyuki Mori, Masatoshi Shibata Fourth official: Takuya Okada | 
| Penalties | ||||
| 3 April 19965 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 4–1 | Gamba Osaka | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:04 JST (UTC+09) | Fukunaga  57' Bein  65' Buchwald  73' Tsuchihashi  76' | J. League | Gillhaus  16' | Attendance: 20,614 Referee: Fumikazu Shioyazono Assistant referees: Mitsuru Satō, Masaaki Shimomura Fourth official: Ichirō Kuwabara | 
| 6 April 19966 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–2 | Nagoya Grampus Eight | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 14:02 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Asano  61' Moriyama  89' | Attendance: 19,608 Referee: Yoshimi Ogawa Assistant referees: Akihisa Makino, Hitoshi Nakagomi Fourth official: Akio Hayashi | 
| 13 April 19967 | Verdy Kawasaki | 2–0 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Tokyo National Stadium | 
| 15:03 JST (UTC+09) | Hayashi  70' K. Miura  83' (pen.) | J. League | Attendance: 45,555 Referee: Naotsugu Fuse Assistant referees: Takashi Kunori, Susumu Takeda Fourth official: Noritake Sakurada | 
| 17 April 19968 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 1–0 | JEF United Ichihara | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:03 JST (UTC+09) | Hirose  4' (pen.) | J. League | Attendance: 19,366 Referee: Keiichi Sunakawa Assistant referees: Kenichi Koshiyama, Takayoshi Kashino Fourth official: Izumi Okada | 
| 20 April 19969 | Kashima Antlers | 1–0 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Akita Yabase Stadium | 
| 15:04 JST (UTC+09) | Kumagai  77' | J. League | Attendance: 10,643 Referee: Fumikazu Shioyazono Assistant referees: Kazuaki Hamaguchi, Satoru Ishizawa Fourth official: Masaki Asano | 
| 27 April 199610 | Yokohama Flügels | 1–4 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Yokohama Mitsuzawa Football Stadium | 
| 19:33 JST (UTC+09) | Yamaguchi  74' | J. League | Hirose  7' Boli  24' Iwase  57' Okano  77' | Attendance: 14,692 Referee: Archundia Assistant referees: Akihisa Makino, Keiji Kamiara Fourth official: Takao Oura | 
| 1 May 199611 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–0 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) | Cerezo Osaka | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:05 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Attendance: 17,789 Referee: Hideo Kikuchi Assistant referees: Yū Nakamura, Kō Ōishi Fourth official: Shigeru Kimura | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| 4 May 199612 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2–1 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) | Shimizu S-Pulse | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 18:34 JST (UTC+09) | Iwase  44' Fukuda  98' | J. League | Massaro  79' | Attendance: 19,213 Referee: Yoshitsugu Katayama Assistant referees: Toshiyuki Mayuzumi, Tetsu Karakida Fourth official: Akio Hayashi | 
| 11 May 199613 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 1–3 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Hiroshima Big Arch | 
| 15:02 JST (UTC+09) | Uemura  44' | J. League | Hori  39', 48' Fukuda  71' | Attendance: 9,681 Referee: Zoran Petrović Assistant referees: Naoki Esumi, Kazuhiko Matsumura Fourth official: Hitoshi Yamada | 
| 15 May 199614 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 1–0 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) | Kyoto Purple Sanga | Tokyo National Stadium | 
| 19:18 JST (UTC+09) | Taguchi  109' | J. League | Attendance: 50,974 Referee: Piotr Werner Assistant referees: Toshimitsu Yoshida, Takao Onshi Fourth official: Fusaya Suzuki | 
| 18 May 199615 | Bellmare Hiratsuka | 5–3 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Niigata Stadium | 
| 18:01 JST (UTC+09) | T. Iwamoto  41', 76' Narahashi  64' Simão  79' Noguchi  83' | J. League | Okano  10', 39' Fukuda  30' | Attendance: 12,337 Referee: Yasuhiro Hemmi Assistant referees: Kōji Taniuchi, Masaaki Shimomura Fourth official: Naoki Nakamura | 
| 28 August 199616 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 2–3 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Nihondaira Sports Stadium | 
| 19:04 JST (UTC+09) | Ōenoki  28'  61' (o.g.) | J. League | Ōshiba  43' Yamada  75' Okano  76' | Attendance: 10,151 Referee: Yasuhiro Hemmi Assistant referees: Yoshikazu Hiroshima, Takashi Aoki Fourth official: Naoki Uchiyama | 
| 31 August 199617 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 5–1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:04 JST (UTC+09) | Hori  28' Bein  30' Yamada  36', 38' Okano  44' | J. League | Takagi  81' | Attendance: 20,028 Referee: Hideo Kikuchi Assistant referees: Takashi Kunori, Keiji Kamiara Fourth official: Shigeru Kimura | 
| 7 September 199618 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | 1–0 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Kyoto Nishikyogoku Stadium | 
| 18:34 JST (UTC+09) | Alexandre  13' | J. League | Attendance: 10,088 Referee: Bemard Saules Assistant referees: Kōji Taniuchi, Takayoshi Kashino Fourth official: Hiroyuki Ishida | 
| 14 September 199619 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 3–2 | Bellmare Hiratsuka | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 18:34 JST (UTC+09) | Okano  35' Ōshiba  63' Hori  86' | J. League | Seki  44' Almir  59' | Attendance: 17,825 Referee: Lim Kee Chong Assistant referees: Morihisa Yamaguchi, Ichirō Inukai Fourth official: Shigeru Kimura | 
| 21 September 199620 | Kashiwa Reysol | 0–7 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Tokyo National Stadium | 
| 15:04 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Ōshiba  2' Okano  21' Boli  44' Fukunaga  47', 65' Buchwald  84' (pen.) Iwase  87' | Attendance: 35,926 Referee: Leslie Mottram Assistant referees: Hiroshi Fukuda, Hisaharu Kitamura Fourth official: Hide Lii | 
| 28 September 199621 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 1–1 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) (3–2 p) | Avispa Fukuoka | Sapporo Atsubetsu Stadium | 
| 13:03 JST (UTC+09) | Okano  1' | J. League | Mayor  3' | Attendance: 5,611 Referee: Zoran Petrović Assistant referees: Mitsuru Satō, Keiji Kamiara Fourth official: Eiji Kaneda | 
| Penalties | ||||
| 2 October 199622 | Yokohama Marinos | 0–1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Yokohama Mitsuzawa Football Stadium | 
| 19:04 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Buchwald  8' (pen.) | Attendance: 11,798 Referee: Bemard Saules Assistant referees: Noboru Ishiyama, Akihisa Makino Fourth official: Hiroshi Yashiro | 
| 5 October 199623 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–2 | Júbilo Iwata | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 15:03 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Nakayama  22' Nanami  82' | Attendance: 20,044 Referee: Leslie Mottram Assistant referees: Kazuaki Hamaguchi, Hisaharu Kitamura Fourth official: Toshimitsu Yasumoto | 
| 16 October 199624 | Gamba Osaka | 1–0 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) | Urawa Red Diamonds | Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium | 
| 19:00 JST (UTC+09) | Gillhaus  93' | J. League | Attendance: 5,254 Referee: Shinichirō Obata Assistant referees: Hideaki Harada, Satoru Ishizawa Fourth official: Tamotsu Ōnishi | 
| 19 October 199625 | Nagoya Grampus Eight | 0–1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium | 
| 15:00 JST (UTC+09) | J. League |  27' (o.g.) | Attendance: 22,267 Referee: Zoran Petrović Assistant referees: Yasushi Tsuchimoto, Hiroyuki Ōnishi Fourth official: Katsuyasu Masui | 
| 26 October 199626 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 1–0 | Verdy Kawasaki | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 15:01 JST (UTC+09) | Okano  85' | J. League | Attendance: 19,495 Referee: Tōru Kamikawa Assistant referees: Kazuya Yanagisawa, Hitoshi Nakagomi Fourth official: Shigeru Kimura | 
| 30 October 199627 | JEF United Ichihara | 1–0 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Ichihara Stadium | 
| 19:04 JST (UTC+09) | Rufer  38' | J. League | Attendance: 8,337 Referee: Hideo Kikuchi Assistant referees: Yū Nakamura, Tetsu Karakida Fourth official: Fujirō Masukura | 
| 2 November 199628 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–0 (V-goal) (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) | Kashima Antlers | Tokyo National Stadium | 
| 15:02 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Attendance: 45,794 Referee: Bemard Saules Assistant referees: Kazuhisa Osada, Hisaharu Kitamura Fourth official: Tsutomu Anazawa | ||
| Penalties | ||||
| 6 November 199629 | Cerezo Osaka | 3–1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Osaka Nagai Stadium | 
| 19:04 JST (UTC+09) | Morishima  30', 71' Manoel  49' | J. League | Okano  1' | Attendance: 7,493 Referee: Kenji Tanaka Assistant referees: Kazuya Yanagisawa, Kōji Taniuchi Fourth official: Tamotsu Ōnishi | 
| 9 November 199630 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 3–0 | Yokohama Flügels | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 14:33 JST (UTC+09) | Bein  24' Okano  33' Takita  79' (pen.) | J. League | Attendance: 19,357 Referee: Leslie Mottram Assistant referees: Yoshikazu Hiroshima, Keiji Kamiara Fourth official: Izumi Okada | 
| 1st Round | bye | 
| 2nd Round | bye | 
| 17 November 19963rd Round | Urawa Red Diamonds | 3–0 | NTT Kanto | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 13:00 JST (UTC+09) | Okano  34', 50' Iwase  62' | Attendance: 15,344 Referee: Keiichi Sunakawa | 
| 23 December 19964th Round | Urawa Red Diamonds | 4–0 | Cerezo Osaka | Tochigi Utsunomiya Green Stadium | 
| 13:00 JST (UTC+09) | Bein  39' Taguchi  41' Fukunaga  47' Hori  62' | Attendance: 10,743 Referee: Fumikazu Shioyazono | 
| 26 December 1996Quarterfinals | Urawa Red Diamonds | 3–0 | Bellmare Hiratsuka | Nagoya Mizuho Athletics Stadium | 
| 19:01 JST (UTC+09) | Hori  28' Bein  66' Yamada  76' | Attendance: 2,774 Referee: Shinichirō Obata | 
| 29 December 1996Semifinals | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–3 | Verdy Kawasaki | Tokyo National Stadium | 
| 13:05 JST (UTC+09) | Bismarck  57' Y. Miura  70' Kurihara  83' | Attendance: 28,994 Referee: Zoran Petrović | 
| 1 June 1996GL-A-1-1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 1–3 | Kashiwa Reysol | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 18:33 JST (UTC+09) | Fukunaga  89' | J. League | Watanabe  32'  60' (o.g.) Edílson  68' | Attendance: 20,230 Referee: Tatsumi Ōno Assistant referees: Toshiyuki Mayuzumi, Keiji Kamiara Fourth official: Akio Hayashi | 
| 5 June 1996GL-A-1-2 | Kashiwa Reysol | 2–0 (5–1 agg.) | Urawa Red Diamonds | Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium | 
| 19:00 JST (UTC+09) | N. Katō  42' Edílson  63' | J. League | Attendance: 9,348 Referee: Zoran Petrović Assistant referees: Yū Nakamura, Masaaki Shimomura Fourth official: Fujirō Masukura | 
| 8 June 1996GL-A-2-1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–0 | Bellmare Hiratsuka | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 18:33 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Attendance: 19,287 Referee: Hiroyuki Umemoto Assistant referees: Naoki Esumi, Susumu Takeda Fourth official: Izumi Okada | 
| 12 June 1996GL-A-2-2 | Bellmare Hiratsuka | 1–2 (1–2 agg.) | Urawa Red Diamonds | Hiratsuka Stadium | 
| 19:01 JST (UTC+09) | Betinho  36' | J. League | Boli  50' Fukuda  78' (pen.) | Attendance: 7,893 Referee: Keiichi Sunakawa Assistant referees: Noboru Ishiyama, Kenichi Koshiyama Fourth official: Takatoshi Itō | 
| 15 June 1996GL-A-3-1 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | 1–1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Kyoto Nishikyogoku Stadium | 
| 18:34 JST (UTC+09) | Raudnei  53' | J. League | Boli  31' | Attendance: 14,992 Referee: Yoshitsugu Katayama Assistant referees: Mitsuru Satō, Takashi Aoki Fourth official: Yoshihisa Takahashi | 
| 19 June 1996GL-A-3-2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–1 (1–2 agg.) | Kyoto Purple Sanga | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:03 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | To. Yamaguchi  37' | Attendance: 18,742 Referee: Tetsuya Hamana Assistant referees: Yoshikazu Hiroshima, Keiji Kamiara Fourth official: Toshimitsu Yasumoto | 
| 22 June 1996GL-A-4-1 | Yokohama Marinos | 2–0 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Yokohama Mitsuzawa Football Stadium | 
| 15:01 JST (UTC+09) | Matsuda  14' Zapata  16' | J. League | Attendance: 13,476 Referee: Archundia Assistant referees: Yū Nakamura, Takao Onshi Fourth official: Kenji Ōgiya | 
| 26 June 1996GL-A-4-2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2–1 (2–3 agg.) | Yokohama Marinos | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:00 JST (UTC+09) | Okano  78' Fukuda  89' | J. League | Bisconti  89' | Attendance: 18,914 Referee: Naotsugu Fuse Assistant referees: Takashi Kunori, Hitoshi Nakagomi Fourth official: Ichirō Kuwabara | 
| 29 June 1996GL-A-5-1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 1–2 | Júbilo Iwata | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 18:33 JST (UTC+09) | Fukuda  3' (pen.) | J. League | Nakayama  62' Schillaci  89' | Attendance: 20,324 Referee: Tetsuya Hamana Assistant referees: Akihisa Makino, Susumu Takeda Fourth official: Shigeru Kimura | 
| 3 July 1996GL-A-5-2 | Júbilo Iwata | 2–2 (4–3 agg.) | Urawa Red Diamonds | Júbilo Iwata Stadium | 
| 19:01 JST (UTC+09) | Nakayama  66' Vanenburg  73' (pen.) | J. League | Fukuda  53' Boli  86' | Attendance: 11,832 Referee: Kazuo Kakihana Assistant referees: Kimio Izaki, Takuji Fukazawa Fourth official: Tōru Nagata | 
| 10 August 1996GL-A-6-1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 2–3 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Hiroshima Big Arch | 
| 18:32 JST (UTC+09) | Santos  5', 39' | J. League | Bein  17' Fukunaga  52'  59' (o.g.) | Attendance: 9,271 Referee: Shinichirō Obata Assistant referees: Tōru Yamashiro, Hiroyuki Ōnishi Fourth official: Katsuya Motoyasu | 
| 14 August 1996GL-A-6-2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 0–2 (3–4 agg.) | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:00 JST (UTC+09) | J. League | Santos  25', 77' | Attendance: 19,386 Referee: Hiroshi Tanabe Assistant referees: Yū Nakamura, Kōji Minami Fourth official: Toshimitsu Yasumoto | 
| 17 August 1996GL-A-7-1 | Gamba Osaka | 1–1 | Urawa Red Diamonds | Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium | 
| 19:00 JST (UTC+09) | Matsuyama  89' | J. League | Ōshiba  58' | Attendance: 8,010 Referee: Tōru Kamikawa Assistant referees: Morihisa Yamaguchi, Akio Okutani Fourth official: Sōichirō Kaneko | 
| 21 August 1996GL-A-7-2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 3–0 (4–1 agg.) | Gamba Osaka | Urawa Komaba Stadium | 
| 19:03 JST (UTC+09) | Taguchi  7' Ōshiba  19' Okano  34' | J. League | Attendance: 18,483 Referee: Bemard Saules Assistant referees: Masahiro Katagiri, Takayoshi Kashino Fourth official: Izumi Okada | 
 Brian Steen Nielsen (loan from OB Odense on August)
  Brian Steen Nielsen (loan from OB Odense on August) Guido Buchwald,
  Guido Buchwald,   Masayuki Okano
  Masayuki Okano